Begonia plant named ‘Cool Breeze Pewter’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Begonia  plant characterized by broad, palmately lobed leaves of showy silver with a green spot by the petiole, red leaf backs, a bushy habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Begonia hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Cool Breeze Pewter’.

Parentage: Begonia hemsleyana×Begonia U489.

Cross Reference to: Begonia ‘Cool Breeze Glacier’ (U.S. application Ser.No. 13/986,393) and ‘Cool Breeze Rouge’ (U.S. application Ser. No.13/986,388).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia,of the family Begoniaceae, and given the cultivar name, ‘Cool BreezePewter’. This plant originated from planned breeding program for acolorful series of landscape Begonia. The new cultivar originated from across between Begonia hemsleyana (unpatented), as the seed parent(unpatented), and Begonia U489 (unpatented), as the pollen parent. Thisselection is uniquely characterized by:

-   -   1. broad, palmately lobed leaves,    -   2. showy silvered leaves with green spot by the petiole,    -   3. red leaf backs,    -   4. a bushy habit, and    -   5. excellent vigor.

Compared to the seed parent Begonia hemsleyana, an unpatented plant, thenew cultivar has leaves palmately lobed rather than palmately compoundand heavily silvered rather than silver spotted.

Compared to the pollen parent, Begonia U489, an unpatented plant, thenew cultivar is broader in habit, better branched, and with leaves thatlobed rather than entire.

Compared to Begonia ‘Metallic Mist’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,567, the newcultivar is larger and bushier, with larger, flatter leaves that have agreen spot near the petiole rather than dark veins with silver.

Compared to Begonia ‘Cool Breeze Rouge’, U.S. application Ser. No.13/986,388, the new cultivar stays all silver rather than getting a roseblush in cool temperatures.

Compared to Begonia ‘Cool Breeze Glacier’, U.S. application Ser. No.13/987,232, the new cultivar has leaves that are pewter in color (ontopside) rather than having interveinal silvering.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (leafcuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation bymicropropagation as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoingcharacteristics and distinctions come true to form and are establishedand transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present inventionhas not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change inthe genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a 1-year old plant in a growing in a one gallon containerin June in Canby. Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of the leaves of a plant in August in Canby,Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Begonia cultivarbased on observations of one-year-old specimens grown in one galloncontainers outside in a cool greenhouse in June in Canby, Oreg. Canby isZone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95°F. in August to 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition, 2007.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous rhizomatous perennial.        -   Form.—Clumping, caulescent.        -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 10.        -   Size.—Grows to 38 cm tall and 52 cm wide.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots and rooting.—Roots appear on leaf cuttings in 2 weeks;            fine, fibrous, and white in color.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Upright.        -   Size.—Grows to 21 cm long and 20 mm wide.        -   Internodes.—From 1 cm to 4 cm long.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Lateral branches.—None.        -   Color.—Greyed Purple 187A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Basal and alternate.        -   Number.—About 160.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to orbicular.        -   Leaf strength.—Excellent, tough, leathery.        -   Lobing/division.—Palmately 7 to 9 lobed.        -   Venation.—Palmate, topside Green N138B nearest petiole and            where green to Greyed Green188A near margin, bottom side            Greyed Purple 187A.        -   Margins.—Serrate, somewhat undulate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Sagittate.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 20 cm wide and 20 cm long.        -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.        -   Stipules.—Deciduous, lanceolate, 44 mm long and 12 mm wide,            apex acuminate and cuspidate, base clasping, entire, back            side pubescent, inside glabrous, both sides Greyed Brown            N199A.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 32 cm long and 7 mm wide,            succulent, pubescent, Greyed Orange 177A.        -   Leaf color.—Top side closest to Greyed Green188A with spot            near petiole Green N137A and blush over silver from spot up            Red Purple 64A; bottom side Greyed Purple 187B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Axillary, bisexual, cymose.        -   Number of flowers per cyme.—Usually 6.        -   Peduncle description.—Grows 13 cm long and 4 mm wide,            pubescent, fleshy, of good strength, Greyed Orange 178B;            with 2 opposite, dehiscent petiolate leaf-bracts below each            cyme, deciduous, ovate-lanceolate, 22 mm long and 12 mm            wide, apex acuminate and cuspidate, entire, back side            pubescent, inside glabrous, both sides Greyed Red 181B.        -   Pedicel description.—Grow to 20 mm long, 1.5 mm wide,            fleshy, pubescent, of good strength, Red 48C.        -   Bloom period.—Late fall to early winter in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Staminate flowers 12 mm long and 8 mm wide prior to            opening; pistillate flowers are 20 mm deep and 18 mm wide            prior to opening.        -   Shape.—Teardrop.        -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Red Purple 68B on tepal area, Red Purple 69A on            ovary.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Monoecious, bilaterally symmetrical.        -   Pistillate flower.—Grows to 20 mm deep and 35 mm wide            overall; 5 fleshy tepals, grow to 16 mm long and 11 mm wide,            obovate, tip and base obtuse to acute, margins entire,            glabrous on inside and pubescent on outside, inside Red            Purple 73C and outside center 73B to sides 73C; pistil 1, 19            mm long, ovary to 22 mm wide and 12 mm deep, three winged,            two equal and one longer, Orange 27B with edges Yellow Green            150C, style 3 branched, 2 mm long and Greyed Yellow 161B,            stigma 2 branched and twisted, stigma 5 mm deep and 10 mm            wide overall, Yellow Green 151A.        -   Staminate flower.—12 mm deep and 25 mm wide, 4 tepals, Red            Purple 73C inside and 73B outside, pubescent outside and            glabrous inside, 2 larger outer tepals 16 mm long and 14 mm            wide, cupped, ovate, margin entire, tip obtuse, base            cuneate; 2 inner tepals grow to 12 mm long and 7 mm wide,            oblanceolate, entire, tip obtuse, base attenuate; stamen            many in a globular head 6 mm in diameter, filaments less            than 1 mm long, anthers 1.5 mm long and Red Purple 65D,            anthers and pollen Yellow 11A.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—A cyme blooms for about 4 weeks on the plant;            flowers are self-cleaning.-   Fruit and seed: None, sterile.-   Diseases and pests: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No    known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found    in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct form of Begonia plant as herebyillustrated and described.